Hundreds of Israeli cruise passengers are stuck aboard their ship at the Greek island of Syros, due to a large anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian protest taking place at the docks, according to multiple reports in Hebrew media.
Passengers aboard the “Crown Iris” cruise ship, which is operated by Israeli shipping giant Mano Maritime, were set to disembark on the Aegean island for six hours, but due to the protest, they are not being allowed to exit the ship.
One Israeli passenger tells the Kan broadcaster that when one of the Israelis on the ship saw the protest, “we raised Israeli flags and some of us started singing.”
“Inside the ship, we feel safe, but the children are a little stressed,” says the unnamed passenger.
Channel 12 reports that the protest was organized by a group of the island’s residents, who posted on social media that they “raise their fists in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.”
“It is unacceptable that tourists from Israel continue to be welcomed here while the Palestinians are suffering in the Strip,” they said.
Responding to the reports, Mano Shipping says it is “in contact with the local authorities and as a result of the protests, there is a slight delay in disembarking passengers.”
“The time spent in the port will be extended accordingly and the excursions there will not be affected,” the company adds. “There are no armed police on the ship, only Israeli security personnel as is customary. The estimate is that the demonstration will disperse within half an hour.”
